am i being honest with myself?

okay, here it is, i want to get to 8 handicap or below by mid June next year. (just over a year from now) I am planning on playing three times a week and practice twice for one year straight. i will play in all the comps and hand in as many general play cards as possible. when im not playing or practicing i will work on my mental game. So, do you think this is possible?

Liam, if you have the time ,inclination and money to do all of the above then go for it before you have any kids arrive. Best of luck. Are you playing off reds or yellows when you go out for a round. Dave CAC handed Geordie.

Of course you can Liam. Don't stop enjoying the game however! Good luck. Let us know next June where you have got to.

Dave - i play from the yellow tees and whites in the competitions!

I have no idea whether it's possible, but I do wish you good luck in doing it.

Wasn't there a guy who wrote a book about his aim in becoming a scratch golfer within a year? Or was it something like breaking par for 18 holes within a year? He started off as a much higher handicapper, and without wishing to give the game away, I seem to remember him getting very close to achieving it. Maybe I saw it on the Golf Channel, I don't know.

As Michael alluded to above, I imagine that it could become very frustrating if you don�t start to show the improvement that you're looking for, so don't forget why you actually play the game in the first place. Hopefully to enjoy it!

Liam, Do You intend on having any lessons withIn this year?

jphn, yes, i have lessons once a month

i went through a stage of playing every spare minute i had, i golfed myself out and needed a lay off, good luck with your quest

Liam

What do you mean by "hand in as many general play cards as possible"?

I expect, Liam is going to take full advantage of the supplementary cards rule.

exactly what i meant john.

Liam

Sorry, but I interpreted your post as meaning that you were just going to bung in any good cards you scored to get your handicap down - good luck in achieving that. The essence of supplementaries, of course, is that you declare a supplementary in advance so that there is some resemblance to competition pressure and that the bad cards as well as the good ones all count.

That was John Richardson who gave himself a year to shoot one round par or better. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-On-Hackers-Challenge-Break/dp/0856408417 Interesting read - he made it. He wasn't really a "hacker" to start with though. In his teenage years he was about 15 handicap so I guess similar level to Liam. Of course one round at par is not a scratch golfer. I was chatting to one of the club fitters in the golf shop I often go to. He is a county standard player off 4 and told me of one round where he broke a course record and shot 6 under.

I guess I have a similar goal - well single figure. I recently joined Malden GC and got an 11 handicap (I kept the golfshake one going from last year in all rounds everywhere to see how compares). Funny thing is my best score there in 9 rounds is still my first (all off whites). In fact were it not for a late 8 at a par 5 in that round, I might have gone straight to 9! Just one of those days and playing to 11 is certainly tough for me right now. In 4 medal comps rounds now, have only made buffer zone once so am heading to 12 at this rate!

I play and practice a lot and have regular lessons but just today had my worst round since I started playing again last year after 10+ year "rest" - a gross 95. I think there is a certain amount of being "golfed out". My head just dropped after an OOB on the 1st tee. Got a par with my 2nd attempt but you still have to put a double down. Another double on the next and already after 2 holes am thinking is going to be an up 0.1 - and it was of course.

Conversely in the monthly medal last weekend was 3 under handicap with 2 to go and promptly racked up an 8. From looking at a cut only just made my buffer zone. Ah...

It's interesting watching the other guys there. Many of course have been members for years and being polite many are somewhat older than even my semi-mature 45 years. Some of their swings you would certainly not find in any text book but they seem to know how to play with that they have - and that's usually keeping ball in play and rather low trajectories on approach shots and par 3s - mainly because the older chaps are using hybrids and fairway woods when I am digging out the 7 or 8I.